Over the years as the vast US military has expanded around the world several American President’s have asked countries with American troops to increase their military spending….
That would be done to increase their defense assets , which would lead to less American troops….
But that isn’t the whole reason….
In places like Germany and Eastern Europe along with several Asia countries like Korea, Taiwan and Japan?
American troops are there to counter any actions by the Russians or China…
And….
The bases around the world allow the American military homes for troops and equipment to be in place closer to combat area ‘s and trouble spots.
We now reports that Donald Trump & Co. want to leverage American trop’s and Military presence for straight out cash….
This has been brewing with Trump for a while….
He does not embrace the idea of mutual defense cooperation….
His view of the world is from himself…..
‘America First’…
Not America as part of a greater good to achieve a goal….
This sort of thing could have drastic consequences for the National Security of this country and play right into the hands of our two biggest adversaries, which Trump actually does NOT see….
For years, President Donald Trump has complained that countries hosting American troops aren’t paying enough. Now he wants to get even, and then some.
Under White House direction, the administration is drawing up demands that Germany, Japan and eventually any other country hosting U.S. troops pay the full price of American soldiers deployed on their soil — plus 50 percent or more for the privilege of hosting them, according to a dozen administration officials and people briefed on the matter.
In some cases, nations hosting American forces could be asked to pay five to six times as much as they do now under the “Cost Plus 50” formula.
Trump has championed the idea for months. His insistence on it almost derailed recent talks with South Korea over the status of 28,000 U.S. troops in the country when he overruled his negotiators with a note to National Security Advisor John Bolton saying, “We want cost plus 50.”
The president’s team sees the move as one way to prod NATO partners into accelerating increases in defense spending — an issue Trump has hammered allies about since taking office. While Trump claims his pressure has led to billions of dollars more in allied defense spending, he’s chafed at what he sees as the slow pace of increases.
Read a QuickTake on Trump’s complaints about NATO members’ spending
“Wealthy, wealthy countries that we’re protecting are all under notice,” Trump said in a speech at the Pentagon on Jan. 17. “We cannot be the fools for others.”
Officials caution that the idea is one of many under consideration as the U.S. presses allies to pay more, and it may be toned down. Yet even at this early stage, it has sent shock waves through the departments of Defense and State, where officials fear it will be an especially large affront to stalwart U.S. allies in Asia and Europe already questioning the depth of Trump’s commitment to them…..
Note….
This is in fact typical Donald Trump….
He is trying threaten something in order to get a better ‘deal’ for himself….
So far?
It hasn’t worked with trade or a border wall……
And it’s actually hurting the American economy and making the American ‘Brand’ around the world drop from what it was during the Obama Presidency….
image…JapanTimes